Haiti nabs 15 Dominican trucks in “vast” smuggling operation

Santo Domingo.- Haiti authorities say they’ve seized at least 15 trucks from Dominican Republic allegedly loaded with products to be smuggled through Jimani (southwest).

Haiti’s government also denounced the presence of "tons of iron" for construction in around 20 trucks "trying to evade" the Haitian authorities at the village Belladère, across the border from the Dominican town, Comendador.

Haiti Customs director Fritzner Jean-Baptiste, told the Haiti media that 15 truckloads of undeclared goods were seized in Malpasse.

He said the merchants used Jimani’s binational market to try to smuggle products paying neither customs duties nor taxes.

The official added that customs officials suspect a "vast" smuggling operation that was detected with better controls at border crossings and the presence of Haitian customs and police agents.